Elevating tradition with next-gen lighting wizardry
ENTTEC were enlisted to help bring the Constellation Ball to life, the ninth iteration of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball featuring 5,280 individually addressable Waterford crystal LED elements. The result needed to be dynamic and eye-catching, transforming into a real-time interactive audio-visual spectacle for millions of viewers worldwide.
| Client | – |
| Type | Entertainment |
| Location | Times Square, New York City, USA |
| Products | – |
| Year | 2025 |
| Project credits | – |
Picture this: a 12.5-foot geodesic sphere suspended 139 feet above Times Square, adorned with 5,280 individually addressable Waterford crystal LED elements. The Constellation Ball needed to do more than just drop at midnight. It needed to transform into a real-time interactive audio-visual spectacle, responding to music and crowd energy with mesmerizing light patterns across thousands of pixels, all while captivating millions of viewers worldwide.
When Jamestown and One Times Square set out to reimagine this global icon, the previous ball (which served from 2008 through early 2025) was ready for retirement. The new vision demanded nearly double the crystal count, circular designs instead of triangular shapes for the first time in 118 years, and an interactive audio system that could generate dynamic displays in real-time during the live broadcast.
The challenge? New York winter weather, strict technical requirements, and an aggressive timeline. Plus, being the centerpiece of the world’s most-watched countdown meant the lighting system needed to deliver eye-catching, vibrant displays without compromise. There was zero margin for error.
Solution
Controls.
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Lights.
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Result
